If the lights decided to shine
by MsGodric
Summary: '"Tough day, huh?" His head shot up, glancing in the direction the voice had come from; the young lady, who had been reading, was looking at him, a sad smile of her face.' What if, on the night of Robin and Barney's engagement, the night that the GNB building opened, things went a little differently, and Ted found himself in a café, talking to his future wife? TedxTracy Au


If the lights decided to shine

Time froze as he stared out of the glass window, his eyes watching each little snowflake as it fell to the ground. One by one, they fell, falling endlessly towards the ground before them. His heart was beating heavily, the only true sign that he was still alive, that he hadn't curled up and died, that his body wasn't rotting away with his breaking heart.

Ted took a deep breath, wiping his face with his hands, trying to snap himself out of the trance he had been in. It had happened, it was happening, and there was nothing he could do about it. _He _had decided to take Robin there, he had made it happen, he shouldn't be upset.

But he was. Robin was the person he had pictured himself growing old with. She was the one he kept coming back to, no matter what, and now, now she was engaged, in love with his best-friend, and he was left to crumble away.

"Get over yourself," he muttered, turning away from the window. But it was a lot easier said than done. If he hadn't been able to get over her all those years ago, he wasn't going to be able to get over her now, was he?

"Mr Mosby, I cannot tell you how amazing this, this amazing peice of _architecture _is," an older lady, who he had seen in several meetings but failed to catch her name, said, giving him a smile.

"Thank you, it is a dream come true," he said, smiling slightly in return.

"However did you design such a thing?" She asked, looking at him, her eyes bright.

"Oh, well, I have a big imagination, I guess," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Always have."

The lady nodded, looking around the room. "Keep it up Mr Mosby, you will go far."

He smiled, bowing his head in thanks, as she walked off towards someone else. He stood there, the thoughts of Robin and Barney suddenly filling up his head again. Not sure of what else to do, he headed towards the door, dodging anyone who was trying to make any eye-contact with him. He pulled it open, entering a hallway, where he walked to the end of it, towards the elevator. His pressed the button and waited.

The elevator door pinged open, and he jumped in, pressing the ground button quickly. The door shut, and he collapsed against the wall, his eyes falling shut.

In a second, the door opened with a ping again, and the lobby of his new building greeted him. He walked out, heading straight for the doors.

He pulled them open, and immediately, the cold winter air brushed against his cheeks, the snowflakes falling onto his hair. He rubbed his hands together, breathing heavily. He looked around the crowded street, before setting off.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he needed to be out in the open air alone, away from people wanting to talk to him. He walked through the slightly crowded streets, getting further and further away from the GNB building. His head throbbed.

He had been walking at a fast pace for about 20 minutes, when he finally decided to stop. He looked around, and noticed a small cafe a few feet ahead of him. He had never seen it before. It looked bright and warm and cosy, and despite it being fairly late at night, he was drawn to it.

He pushed the door open, heat meeting the cold air from the outside. Only a few people were inside; an older couple huddled up in one corner, each sipping a coffee. The other was a young lady, probably younger than himself, sitting alone in the opposite corner, reading an old copy of some book (he couldn't make out the title), and drinking what looked like hot coco.

He wandered up to the counter, wiping off the snow from the sleeves of his suit.

"Hi," he said, to the cashier. "One hot coco please? Oh, add some cream."

The cashier nodded, taking the money he had offered. Once his drink was ready, he took it, and walked over to a table, a little way away from the lady who was reading; he now realized it was 'Worlds End.'

He sat down, bringing the hot drink up to his lips. He sighed as the chocolate met his lips, before placing the drink back on the table.

He let his head drop into his hands, his fingers curling around his hair.

"Tough day, huh?"

His head shot up, glancing in the direction the voice had come from; the young lady, who had been reading, was looking at him, a sad smile of her face. Her eyes, the same colour of the drink in his mug, were filled with pity for him, and he couldn't help but droop his head in return.

"That obvious?"

She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "Well, when a man comes into a cafe wearing a suit, at.." she paused, looking at her watch. "10:15, then sits with his head in his hands, you sort of think something must have happened."

He chuckled, shaking his head, looking at her. "Right, right, you've got it sust out."

She smiled. "Want to talk about it?"

"I dunno, you're a complete stranger," he pointed out.

"Well, you know, talking to a stranger about your problems is a lot easier," she replied, arching an eyebrow.

"Right," he said, sighing. "Right."

"Want to come sit?"

"Sure."

He picked up his drink, and headed over to the table she was sitting at. He flopped down into the seat opposite her, wondering what on earth he was going to say.

He looked at up, ready to talk, but the words died in his throat; this girl, this girl was _beautiful. _Up close, he could really really notice it. Her face, which had been hidden slightly by her hair, was pale and covered in tinie tiny freckles. Her eyes were even more like chocolate upclose, like a cross between dark chocolate and milk chocolate; they were deep and inviting, and he had to stop from staring.

"So, what happened?" She asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Just.. my best-friends got engaged tonight.. and well, I use to date one of them, and well, it's just hard at the moment, all these feelings.."

"Oh," she said, nodding. "You still love her?"

"Wha-? I don't- I'm not- I- I'm not sure," he managed out. "I think I'm in love with the idea of being with her.. I mean, she was the first girl I properly loved. I'm in love with the idea of her."

"Hmm," she said, nodding. "I understand. You need to let her go. She's a metaphor for the past, you need to keep moving forward."

"You're right," he said quietly. "More than right."

She just smiled in return.

"What about you?"

She frowned. "What do you mean, what about me?"

"You're all alone, at 10:15 or whatever, reading in a cafe; something _must _be wrong."

She raised an eyebrow. "So you're also a detective, then?"

"Use to be part of a little gang who solved crimes.. the Mosby Boys!"

She laughed, but it seemed slightly put on, so Ted gathered he was correct.

"So, what is it?"

"My.. My boyfriend he kinda bailed on me," she sighed, shaking her head, and Ted felt his heart drop. She had a boyfriend? The pretty girl, the one who had asked how he was, and got his mind away from the current situation, was already in a relationship with another guy.

"Oh.. why'd he do that?"

"Oh you know, his work's more important," she said, sighing heavily. "And I understand, but well, you'know. I'm supposed to be his girlfriend."

"That sucks," Ted said honestly.

"I know, but anyway," she replied. "I don't think it's going to last anyway.. I'm not too sure about him to be honest."

Ted raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yeah.. he's sort of like the rebound guy, 7 years late," she admited, shaking her head.

"Seven years late..?"

She went slightly sad, only slightly, but he still noticed it. "Seven years ago, my boyfriend.. he passed away. I wasn't with anyone until April this year when I met Louis."

"Oh my God! And I thought my life was all over the place!"

She chuckled slightly, glancing down at her watch.

"I think I'm going to head up to my apartment," she said quietly, stretching out her arms. "It's kinda late."

"Right, yeah; and thanks for the little helping talk thing," he said, looking at her. "It helped."

"No problem," she replied, standing up. "Goodbye."

And with that, he watched as he walked away. Once she had left through the door, he looked back down to the table and saw she had left her book there. Catiously, he picked it up, flicking open the first page.

Written inside was:

_Tracy McConnell_

_1993_

"Tracy," he thought to himself, smiling. "Tracy."

A few months later, on the night of Robin and Barney's wedding, he run into Tracy again, at the reception; he remembered her, and he remembered how he had found her book, but never been able to give it back. She wasn't with Louis then. And he wasn't in love with Robin.

And they both realized how fate had brought them together.

And it was as if, on that cold winters night, the lights had decided to shine, and bring them together.


End file.
